My mind was still in South America as the plane took off for Seattle. I was surprised to be detained while security screens for the Swine flu and happy that while on the plane, they served Tortilla’s filled with ham and cheese. Arriving in Seattle was surprising also, it was sunny. I could actually see the city glinting up at me as we flew over. My friend Erin was nicely waiting for me at baggage claim, it’s been 5 years since I’ve seen her and she still looked just as I remember her, all Seattle through and through, pale, healthy and organic.

Before she dropped me off at what I consider one of the best luxury hotels in Seattle, she took me to Queen Anne for brunch. I barely could wait for my first bite of the Eggs Benedict. I missed American food tremendously. I missed my friend horribly. We had a great time catching up with what’s happened to us in 5 years. After lunch, she drove me through the city to show me what’s new, I felt like I had my own personal tour guide, but one who dissects the city apart like a surgeon looking for a bleeder.

Erin again offered for me to stay with her, but I politely declined, explaining to her once again, how I adore staying in a luxury hotel where every whim of mine is met. She laughed and told me that her parent just bought a place on Lake Sammamish and not that she could meet all my whims, the place was absolutely gorgeous and lazy. She said I could lay back on the dock and fish, or skip stones. This time it was me who laughed. As she dropped me off at the front lobby of my hotel, I told her to come to my room and spend the night, so we can catch up some more, and I’d make sure her every whim would be taken care off by the staff of the hotel and then tomorrow, she can drive me out to her parents place.

It only took her two seconds to say yes.

Filed by Dylan at 4:09 pm under People
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Los Angeles if full of celebrities and those who desire to become celebrities. That is a common belief about the city, which is manifested in the consciousness of people from around the world. It also happens to be true. Many film and television stars live in or around Los Angeles as well as the numerous writers, directors and other industry professionals. In addition, it is home to numerous establishments that are owned and sometimes operated by some of the celebrities and field professionals. The Viper Room is one of these establishments that in itself has become something of a city icon.

The Viper Room was opened in 1993 and one of its part owners quickly became the name associated with it. That of course is the legendary actor Johnny Depp. And although Depp was only legally associated with it as one of its owners until 2004, his name is still strongly associated with it and one of the reasons it has remained such a major city landmark, musician and tourist destination. The Viper Room is also known for a much more tragic reason than celebrity ownership. It is the bar that actor River Phoenix died outside of from a drug overdose in 1993.

The club has been associated with major Hollywood and music names since its opening. Depp himself requested that Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers perform at the club’s opening night party and since then major performers have played there. In the early days of the club’s existence it was a popular hangout for Hollywood’s film and television starts. Sean Penn and Jennifer Aniston are just two stars who were known to frequent the club. The Counting Crows lead singer Adam Duritz is known to have hid out at the Viper and work as a bartender to escape from his fame. The club is located on Sunset Strip near some of the cheap hotels in Los Angeles, which has made it easy to find, and an attractive tourist sight seeing feature since it was established.

Filed by Dylan at 9:33 am under Travel
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It doesn’t take long for someone like me to get the hang of how these gambling schemes work. I can see pretty easily how they play into your desires to get something for nothing. It’s a lot like living in those cities where big things happen to people all the time, just for showing up. I understand the game. It’s a pretty tricky game, but I’m a pretty tricky fellow, and it’s hard to pull a fast one over on me. Like those guys who throw those three cards on tables in New York City street corners. The guys named Monty. They have something pretty sweet going on, but it’s easy to see the trick once you get the hang of it. They have fast hands is all, and they all are named Monty, and that’s trickery of the highest degree.

I can appreciate it, though, and once I started to appreciate it so much, that I appreciated a month’s salary away, being there on the sidewalk, appreciating Monty. However. When I have the opportunity to see how it’s really done, how gambling really works, I take it. There’s a site right here where you can set yourself up for a great weekend with your friends and family members of all ages to enjoy a million kinds of fun.

I don’t go for the casinos any more. That had to stop a long time ago, and I learned my lessons. It’s not that I don’t get it, I mean, I am a smart cookie, I understand it. But I get to understanding it so much that I forget it’s an experiment on my part and end up throwing all sorts of money on things that look interesting. And in these places, everything looks interesting. These days, I love the buffets and the entertainments. There’s something for everyone. There’s a trick to these things, too, and they can’t pull one over on me, because I see that the trick is that they do things you want to see, and they give you the food you like to eat, and that’s enough for me.

Filed by Dylan at 10:44 am under Entertainment
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If you have found an elegant hotel located in Key Largo, than maybe you will be willing to drive a little farther. If you follow Highway 1 (interstate 5) all the way down to Key West than you can see some of the most beautiful areas long the way and end up in the place of brilliant minds. This is were many writers and presidents have found a little bit of peace and creation. If you want to be where the famous are then you sometimes have to go a bit farther because they are hiding in the harder to get to paradises around the world.

Ernest Hemingway is a writer that actually lived on the island for eleven years. He wrote his most famous book, For Whom the Bell Tolls, on these shores of Key West. When he tore himself away from writing he was out fishing or drinking at the Sloppy Joe’s Bar. Another writer who spent time here was Robert Frost. He wrote, The Gift Outright, when he was staying at The Heritage House and now there is a Poetry Festival held there every year. Then you have to point out that playwright Tennessee Williams spent time here as well. He wrote the famous works, A Streetcar Named Desire and Cat On a Hot Tin Roof. He also spent time at the Heritage House.

Then you have the great Presidents who spent time in the Keys, Harry S Truman, who stayed in the area enough that they named the officers quarters of the naval station, the Harry S Truman Little White House. Other presidents would stay here in the future. John Kennedy stayed and held a summit for a day with British Prime Minister Harold Macmillan. Jimmy Carter had a family reunion here in 1996. Then there was the visit of General Dwight D Eisenhower who came to have meetings about the Defense Department, fell in love with the area and returned as President who needed time to get well from a heart attack.

Filed by Dylan at 9:37 am under Travel
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There’s never been a better time to visit Philadelphia. There are some fantastic local productions and products, like the Mummers festival, and the famous Cheese Steaks, and there is also a good deal of world class entertainment. For many years, Philadelphia was seen as a kind of suburb to Manhattan, where people would be able to enjoy a similar urban environment, with a little less noise and a lot less rent. Today, it’s become a very distinctive place, with many neighborhoods that are constantly defining themselves. Sometimes it takes awhile for the world to catch up to what the locals have always known. This is a fascinating place, with a lively core of residents who are doing very interesting new work.

Visiting Philadelphia is pretty easy, and it’s an awful lot of fun. You can check out www.philadelphiacheaphotel.com and get some fantastic deals on lodging here, that will make your stay in the city an enormous pleasure. You can see a dizzying array of entertainments here, with some of the most innovative works in performance in the world. It’s truly a cutting edge city, where artists are a bit freer than in other cities to create vital work, because the economic restraints are not so high. This doesn’t mean there isn’t a lot of competition, though. The history of music is also very illustrious here, having produced acts as notable as Hall & Oates.

The duo had a steady stream of top 40 hits beginning with Sara Smile, all the way up to Maneater. They met at a dance, and were both running for the same elevator when a gang fight broke out, and when they started talking, they realized they had a lot of the same ideas about music. This lead to some early experiments in defining their sound, which is now widely known for its catchy pop flavor with some solid r&b influences. They were one of the defining musical acts of the 80s, and caught as much attention for their music as they did for their hair. They continue to work together, and sometimes give concerts, although the heyday is still living in the bright years of MTV’s birth.

Filed by Dylan at 9:39 am under Music, Travel
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Dallas is one of the major metropolitan cultural centers in the great state of Texas. It is known for being the home of the famous Dallas Cowboys NFL football team as well as many other entertainment and cultural aspects. One of the more popular features that is enjoyed by most of the residents and tourists who visit the city and stay in a hotel Dallas is the food genre known as Tex-Mex. This popular regional cuisine combines American Hispanic flavors with traditional recipes and dishes from Mexico, as well as some standard American fare to create this dynamic and flavorful food.

The term Tex-Mex is frequently accepted to be synonymous with the more broad reference of Southwestern food. This is associated with the more rustic and sometimes traditional foods of the southwestern states and the foods generally share similar names and ingredients they do sometimes vary by state and or region. Fajitas, chili rellenos and various steak and pork based dishes are common to Tex-Mex and Southwestern foods. Many of the dishes associated with genre originated in Texas and the state stands out as an authentic quality source.

Some of the standard dishes that are associated with Tex-Mex cuisine are chili con carne, which can vary from mildly spicy to incredibly hot. It frequently contains chili peppers and is more often spicy than mild. Garlic, onions and cumin are also typical to the ingredients and spice list. Of course beans and meat are necessary ingredients to this staple dish. Chile con queso, which means chili with cheese, is another Tex-Mex dish and should not be confused with the soup dish. This is generally served as an appetizer and is more of a cheese dip spiced with peppers and eaten with tortilla chips. It is a popular and common feature on most Mexican and Tex-Mex restaurant menus. Chile con queso originated in Texas though it is frequently served throughout the southwest and all the way north to Alaska.

Filed by Dylan at 1:57 pm under Travel
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Finian’s Rainbow is one of the current fabulous musicals playing in New York. It is at the St. James Theatre on West 44th Street and while it opened in October of last year, it is scheduled to close later this month. It has been extremely popular with audiences and the final weekends of its run may prove to be difficult to get tickets to, which is just one of the reasons it is recommended tickets are purchased as far in advance as is possible. Many of the guests staying in one of the four star New York hotels are lucky enough to have tickets for this show as well as reservations for a great dinner before they attend.

The musical is set in a mythical southern state that happens to have much in common with real life societal elements. The mythological state is called Missitucky, and as one might suspect it involves and Irish character who is quite a fantastical dreamer. The production is full of charming and entertaining elements and features a leprechaun, which is always a welcome sight in any Irish themed event. This one however, often proves to be quite pesky. And as is true for many light hearted musicals, there is a romantic affair that becomes complicated by the many different circumstances presented in the story, which shall be no further described here.

The St. James Theatre is one of the many long standing icons of the New York theatre scene. It was designed by Abraham L. Erlanger and opened in 1927 at the site of what was formerly Sardi’s restaurant. It’s original name was The Erlanger. It was renamed the St. James Theatre after Erlanger’s death and its takeover by the Astor family. The theatre has produced many great hits and is known for its productions of Oklahoma!, Hello Dolly! 42nd Street and the Producers, among many others. It produces some of the best musicals and dramatic as well as comedy plays in the city.

Filed by Dylan at 7:36 am under Travel
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Bjorn Borg ruled the tennis courts in his heyday. However, though his career as a professional tennis player was a phenomenal and outstanding one, it was also very short. What are some of the moment in his career that make him such an unforgettable player and immense influence on tennis as we know it today? Right before he turned 18, he triumphed at the Italian Championship. And then, when he had turned eighteen and only a few weeks later, he won the French Championship as well. At the time of both these wins, he was the youngest player to win such glory. Even today if her were at the upcoming Austrialian Open, he would still be quite a star.

Further glory occurred when he turn nineteen. He won nineteen single matches in a row during the Davis Cup in 1975 with his 3 to 2 win against his Czech competitor. During his many tournaments, he provided new accomplishments for future generations to try and break and hold for themselves. He provided tennis with some of its greatest moves and moments ever seen and raised the level of tennis players, setting standards for years to come. Those playing in the soon to be held Australian Open Tennis Championship still after all these years have a lot to live up to.

Perhaps what made him such a great player was his strength. He had an extremely strong upper body, and though a slightly bowlegged run, he could run very quickly and with great agility on the tennis courts he graced. His style has been described as kind of rough and jerky, which suits his burly looking appearance.

His greatest rivalry was against John McEnroe, whom some claim put him out of business and ended his professional tennis playing career. However, though great rivals on the court, they have a healthy dose of respect for the other and their playing styles. They function as ying and yang in many ways, from their playing styles, to their looks, and to their personalities. Born was called the ice man precisely because he was so cool and level headed during his games and interviews, whereas McEnroe made a name for himself through his talent but also through his temper.

Filed by Dylan at 7:57 am under Sports
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The Singapore Marina Bay area is as diverse as the rest of the city in the amount of cultural, entertainment, dining and shopping options it presents. Since its development this area of Singapore has become one of its most popular and heavily trafficked and numerous people can be seen walking along the peer and Promenade during day and evening hours. In addition the views are incredible both day and night though it definitely takes on a potential romantic feel in the evening hours.

There are many things to see and do along the marina area. One popular place is the Marina South Pier, which is also its maritime center. This pier is full of tourists who are there to catch a ferry to one of the nearby islands or take a short boat tour around Singapore. Ferries to both Kusu Island and Saint John’s Island are in operation on a daily basis. The Sail at Marina Bay is a beautiful condominium complex located along the waterfront. It is a visual spectacle that intrigues tourists and populated by the progressive Singapore population. It is among the ten tallest buildings in the world and is Singapore’s tallest condominium or residential building.

The Marina Centre is the main attraction in the area for both locals and tourists. There are a number of resorts there as well as amazing shopping and dinging opportunities. This is a popular evening hang out and the views of the water are spectacular as they reflect the city lights. There are frequent outdoor events here that draw large crowds and sometimes contain interesting lighting displays. There is a golf course along the Bay that keeps plenty of avid golfers happy. It is the perfect place to take a brake from the hustle and bustle of the workday or continue a great day of vacation fun and relaxation. Numerous future projects for this area are also in the work and its population and appeal continue to grow.

Filed by Dylan at 12:58 pm under Travel
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Money Mutual loans, otherwise known in the financial industry as Payday loans are small unsecured loans in which a lender provides a cash advance that requires no collateral nor a credit check. These types of loans are very easy to acquire and the cash-strapped borrower will find is the best solution for their financial issues, such as a medical emergency, a high unexpected auto repair bill, or the borrower may find it necessary to pay-off a few debts that are in the rears.

A Payday loan does not come from a bank, but from independent lenders who offer fast-cash loans with interest. To obtain a Payday loan, all a borrower needs to do is go on-line and fill-in the application and within 24 hours, the loan will be funded and wired to the borrowers bank. Payday loans are intended for short-term use, which means the borrower will not incur financial damage if the loan is paid-back within the time frame established in the contract, which is usually by the borrowers next pay-period. This type of loan does not require a credit check; the borrower only needs to show proof of gainful employment and provide a valid bank account number. Most banks will discourage cash-strapped people from dealing with a Payday loan company and warn the potential borrower about the high risk, high interest rates and fees, but at the same time, these banks will not lend the borrower money. Plus, the banks fail to tell the borrower that if they pay back the Payday loan within the agreed time frame that this is when these types of loans are most beneficial to the borrower.

It’s wise to shop around first while on the Internet for the right lender. There are varying rates, fees and terms; don’t settle for just the first lender seen on the Internet. Many lenders seem the same, but they are all competitive and some are better than others, like the Money Mutual Montel Williams, which offers one of the better terms on-line. Some of the paperwork, which the borrower must read before accepting the terms, may have unfamiliar jargon, so always ask questions, even if it seems silly; it is a necessity that a borrower fully understand the terms and conditions of the short-term loan they will be receiving.

These Payday loans are beneficial when used wisely. Only borrow money that can realistically be paid back with in the given time frame. Keep in mind that these loans can improve the borrowers credit score and rating, by using the loan to pay-off credit cards, past-due bills. If the borrower has no credit, this loan will help establish credit. Remember, a Payday loan is only beneficial, if the borrower pays back the loan within the terms and conditions.

Filed by Dylan at 11:59 am under Finance
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There are many options now when it comes to choosing fireplaces or stoves for your home or for your backyard. While the conventional wooden stove is still quite popular, and the convenience of the gas stove has caused those to gain in popularity over the years, many people are discovering the solar stove. I cooked on a solar stove back in the 1970’s. My sixth grade teacher was a bit ahead of her time. We spent about a week making our own solar stove from a kit, it was a very simple project…we were 11 years old and we figured it out. The day came for our outdoor cookout, and it was amazing.

One of the considerations for solar stoves, is for use in countries such as Asia and Africa. In Africa, families spend more than one quarter of their income on attaining fuel, and throughout areas such as Kenya, there are just no trees left. These are countries that have had a hard time finding access to fuel for a very long time, but one thing that they do have, is an abundance of sunlight. This would have an effect on one third of the population on the planet, a great effect. Not only for cooking, but for boiling water, as all of the water collected must be boiled in order to make it safe to drink.

In the western countries, one of the ideas that is so appealing about a solar oven or stove, is the effect it has on the environment, and on one’s health. Solar stoves, are smoke free, completely. Granted, one would have to live in weather conditions, under bright sunlight to take advantage of cooking this way, but with technology ever advancing, there are now ways to store the solar energy for use on days which may be a bit cloudy or over cast. In all, every stove has its advantages, with the myriad of options on the market today, you will have no trouble finding one that suits your needs.

Filed by Dylan at 9:59 am under Environment
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There are some very romantic old Lindau hotels to stay in while you visit this wonderful German island. Imagine yourself sitting on the balcony of a 1800s hotel sipping on some of the local Riesling. Taking photos of your loved one with the Swiss Alps as a glorious background. It would be such a great private spot that you decide to just order dinner right there on the balcony. Maybe some fresh perch that was pulled from the lake that morning. It would build up such a wonderful feeling inside as you breath in the fresh cool air.

Landau Germany has many things to offer or could be the start of some great adventures. There is a great lakefront promenade lined with geraniums and cafes to stop and chat with a cappuccino. It is a place of leisurely strolls as you hang on to the arm of your lover. You could get a smile from the Oompah Band that is hanging around on the walk way. While you wonder around this tiny island that sits on the northeast corner of the stunning Lake Constance. Being the only island of Bavaria it is a special place to the area and is waiting to be the place of special moments in the hearts of its visitors.

If you feel up to some water adventures after you easy strolls on land, there are a few things you can do. You could rent a row boat or a paddle boat and head out into the lake itself. You could also find a sail boat large or small to spend the afternoon using the wind to get you around the water. Maybe you would like to get into the water by doing some water skiing. Its a warm day in the summer time of Germany why not take advantage of it. So come to this off beat resort island and see what is here waiting to delight you and you loved ones.

Filed by Dylan at 11:29 am under Music, Travel
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There’s always time for your favorite hobbies, and it’s important to remember that the way people spend their spare time is how they really like to live. But it’s never all that surprising to learn that young people like to drive fast. There might be any number of certain sociological factors that go into the need for speed, and it most certainly comes from the lore of love for the automobile. Taylor Swift can probably be very articulate about why she likes fast driving, but chances are, this country music sensation will be better off singing about it.

It seems like everything she touches turns to gold these days. When she makes a new record, Swiftranks higher than anyone else on the charts, because her music is, like her driving, unstoppable. She certainly can’t be slowed down, and there’s no reason to see any kind of slowing. It’s one of those celebrity phenomena, where the young talent, in this case just two decades old, will find her own drive met with equal enthusiasm from record producers and a hungry public. It’s a sure formula for success, but it’s one that we’ve learned over the years to be a bit wary of. There are too many stories about fantastically talented young people who got famous too quickly, and didn’t know how to handle it.

There’s good reasons, however, to suspect that Swift does know how to handle the elusive mutual attraction fame has toward her. Her songwriting keeps getting steadily more self-assured, and simultaneously more revelatory, as the records go by. She is also in a new kind of world marketplace, where digital airwaves and social networking sites play as much a part of the show as the persona of the country girl who likes to walk by creeks. It may be a very difficult road to negotiate, but it’s got to be an amazingly fun drive.

Filed by Dylan at 7:38 am under Music, People
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Fireplaces are famous just on there own. They are a house hold name that will never loose its flame. Before history was ever chiseled on a slate or written on walls or paper there has been fireplaces of some form. It ranks only second to language in its importance to the human race. Whether a person is on an open prairie or in a huge castle, a fireplace is a very simple and effective way to contain and control a fire for the purpose of safety, heating and cooking. There is a wonderful progression from the old fire pit to the more modern day in home fireplaces.

Originally fireplaces were made of a few stones places in a circle with a sort of roof around it with a hole in the top for the fums to escape. I think of the Indian Tee Pee as a great early fireplace option. Sadly much of the heat would escape this design not to mention the indoor pollution and ash dust. But this was a necessity to live in the cold winter time of the year. At some point in the 18th century the fireplace went from just a necessity to a major centerpiece of the home. The form of the fireplace was as important as the function. This is when new materials and ways of making fireplaces started to show up. Abraham Darby was an early inventor of making a stronger metal. His work led to iron as a very important part of construction. Cast iron fireplaces became the norm as a longer lasting and better heat dispersing fixture. Iron really holds the heat well.

Now after many years of perfection the fireplace has so many styles to choose from. They are named after famous people like the Napoleon fireplace. There are people becoming famous because of the fireplace like the fireplace whisperer, Walter Moberg. Written about in major classic novels and photographed for the coffee table book, fireplaces really do carry such a physical and emotional hold on the humans that live in there light today.

Filed by Dylan at 9:22 am under History, Home & Garden
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Sandie was incredibly excited at the beginning of this holiday season. And while this might come as a surprise to some people, the reason for it was that she volunteered to host the holiday work party at her house. She had only moved into her new home the year before and one of her biggest desires in purchasing the house was to install an incredible backyard kitchen area so she would be able to host events like the holiday party. She had recently completed the work and was so proud of it and excited to share the space with others that she presented the idea to her company fun committee before discussions of the party had even entered the office.
Fortunately, most of the food was going to be brought in the form of potluck. Sandie was prepared for it and had ample counter space as well as a nice refrigerator and food warmer. She added these as optional features hoping to have just such a reason to use them. The built in barbeque grills that were included with the island model she chose would be perfect for grilling the chicken breasts she planned to serve.

As the day approached Sandie began decorating the outdoor area. She had a beautiful rose garden off to the side and she placed lights and sculptured decorations in the garden. She also put wreathes and berries along the fireplace mantel as well as placed smaller ones on the table and counter area. She had scented candles that would create a great introductory ambiance though she knew the smell of foods would quickly overtake it. The night of the party she was so excited that her dream had actually come true and she was hosting her first party in her beautiful outdoor kitchen and dining area. And while she loved rain, she greatly hoped that on that evening the sky would remain clear and the stars would shine.

Filed by Dylan at 12:51 pm under Food & Drink, Home & Garden
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We arrived in San Francisco around 2:30 in the afternoon. After checking in to our hotel and getting in a short nap, we got back into our car and drove across the Golden Gate Bridge. We stopped at both side of the bridge to get a different view and for some photo opportunities. We then walked across it! We were very lucky that the weather was in our favor at this moment. When we arrived, there was this huge low cloud covering the top of the bridge, so it was a good thing we took a nap earlier, because right now we have a perfect view.

Coming in from Yosemite to San Francisco, we noticed an extreme drop in temperature, we had to wrap up against the chill and the wind. We were wind swept going across the bridge, but we made our way back to our car and drove to the famous Lombard Street.

It’s that street you see in all the movies or television shows, the one that’s all crooked and it goes from the Presidio to the Embarcadero. The one stretch that’s in the movie, the red-bricked road that is in-between Hyde and Leavenworth streets has eight tight, sharp switchbacks. In 1922, a resident who was a forward-thinker thought that the switchbacks would help drivers and pedestrians alike deal with the 27 degree slope.

From there we drove to Fisherman’s Wharf and walked around for a bit. We hadn’t eaten since breakfast, we were rather hungry. We decided to have an early dinner at Bubba Gumps, which by the name you should be able to tell what they served there. After several dishes of eating all kinds of different ways to prepare shrimp, we walked around Pier 39 where we found a lovely and expensive chocolate shop. We were in heaven. We walked around a bit more and saw some very smelly Sea Lions. The shops were closing down, so we headed back to our car and to our hotel San Francisco offers to its many tourists and travellers and crashed out for the night.

Filed by Dylan at 7:41 am under Travel
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Creative thinking is an important element in solving some of life’s major challenges. Often times, a problem that has been tossing around in one’s mind will be solved when the mind is at ease, when you are not expecting it. This is the spirit of creativity. It is what turns dreams into reality. And once one can find the creative spirit within themselves, the rest of life becomes and innovative experience. This is what the Baltimore based program “Arts Every Day” offers to the school children of the city.

The beginning of a solution comes with the preparation. When any company, not necessarily based in the world of the arts, such as Baltimore plumbing co’s or car mechanics, receives a call when somethings is going wrong. Plumbers and mechanics know that there will be something that they will need to figure out how to fix. Creativity exists in all realms of the world, from the plumber to the mechanic to the emergency room surgeon.

And to be fast on one’s feet, quick in the skills of analysis, is found in an artists’ studio, on the canvas of a small child working with a resident artist from “Arts Every Day”. The organization encourages children to follow their instincts when it comes to solving problems, and discourages them from listening to the inner voice that may creep in to say that something cannot be done. They give the children the courage to take on anything, with their artwork in the rest of their lives as well.

The next step to identifying the challenge at hand is to sit and mull it over. This takes focus, just as one must focus on which color to use next from their palettes in the art studio, one must focus when they are fixing some one’s car or fixing a leaking faucet. This is when daydreaming is encouraged. Many people in the world today equate creativity with artists or actors, writers or musicians, but what “Arts Every Day” teaches is that all manner of careers choices must involve the creative side of the mind, in this way, any business will be successful.

Filed by Dylan at 7:16 am under Construction
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Leo was on a mission. He had just landed a job with a major architectural firm in Dayton, Ohio and was scheduled to begin working there in one month. He had to pack up his bags, make all the arrangements, say goodbye to family and friends, oh and find a place to live in Dayton. As instantly as he was excited about the job and his new life transition, he became equally as nervous to get everything taken care of. The day he returned home to his Kansas apartment he made reservations for the following weekend in one of the hotels Dayton to look for a new home.

He was pretty sure that he wanted to buy a home in Dayton as planned to live there and stay with the firm for at least five years. That seemed to him like too long of a time to rent places, but it was the minimum amount of time he figured he needed to commit to the company and a house purchase. So, the following weekend he brought his brother Troy with him to tour the neighborhoods and possibly even put down an offer on a house.

He had heard interesting things about the suburb of Huber Heights and decided to give it a drive through. He was surprised to find out that it covered three counties though he absolutely loved the brick homes. While he was impressed with the houses and the community he didn’t find anything that immediately grabbed him or said home, so he moved on to the suburb of Englewood. This had a quieter, or more rural feel to it and was also smaller than Huber Heights. Leo felt comfortable among the family residences but once again he didn’t feel like he had found his home. Troy suggested they return to Huber Heights because he wanted get another look at one of the houses and felt Leo should see it too. One their way they passed through Riverside and Troy got a great feeling about that town. He insisted they pass through some of the residential areas and he fell in love with one of the houses. Leo took the opportunity to try and talk his brother into moving as well.

Filed by Dylan at 10:59 am under Travel
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Many great things exist in the city of New York. And there are numbers of talented musicians, artists, actors and others who make their way to New York for their career. It draws to it some of the greatest talent in the country as well as throughout the world. And it also produces some of the best right there at home. Rasputina is a cello based rock band that originated in Brooklyn, New York. Tourists who visit the city and stay in one of the hotels NY frequently discover favorite new bands, artists and plays while they are there, and Rasputina has been one of them.

The band started when solo cellist Melora Creager decided she wanted to form and all cello group and put out an ad seeking additional members. Creager was already an established musician and had performed regularly with Nirvana. In addition it should be clarified that Creager was not born in New York, she was one of the artists that was drawn to it to go to Parsons School of Design. It is the band Rasputina that was established in Brooklyn. Throughout the years, Rasputina has gone through a number of musicians and it is currently composed of three people. They are Creager, Daniel DeJesus and Sarah Bowman.

Oh Perilous World is the six album from the trio and Creager wrote the songs for it. These are based on circumstances from the last two years that have seemed more bizarre than stories from history. The songs on the album are created from and in response to major world events and stories. This is an interesting contrast to most of Creager’s and the band’s music which is based on stories and tales from history. They have maintained a steadily increasing fan base and are excellent role models for young string players who may be seeking an alternative to strictly classical performance.

Filed by Dylan at 7:32 am under Travel
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For a lively urban scene that’s rich in creative experimentation, with an exquisite sense of style, Singapore is in a class by itself. It’s also an unusual thing in itself, neither an island not a city, but best described as an island city state. It has a remarkable history, and its current image as one of the most exciting places in the world to visit is based on this same history, along with some innovations of the recent past. There is a strong sense for innovation here, anyway, and it’s been on the edges of world technology and culture for some time, and these days, in Singapore, they blend together. It’s a spectacular thing to see, and it’s one of the many reasons so many individuals with a strong taste for the unique are drawn here. For unique sensibilities, a stay here is heartily complimented with lodgings in a boutique hotel. Singapore has many options for accommodations, and these are some of the most spectacular.

It’s certainly a step away from the chain hotel mentality, and there are many individual features and amenities that can’t be found anywhere else. This is a great way to explore the city state with a sense of style in your lodgings that will meet the style all around you. You might get the opportunity to see a work of theatre or performance with a soundtrack by Sonicbrat, one of the scene’s great new innovators. This is the artistic moniker of Darren Ng, who’s one of the most sought after sound designers around. He’s educated from the National University of Singapore with degrees in Philosophy and Theatre Studies, which are very well-suited preparations for his heady and evocative performance forms.

His own musical training was formally in piano, and then there’s a lot of electricity in there, and both of these fused together in his work. Influenced by such artists as Arvo Part, Brian Eno, and Radiohead, and also the work of the great Murakami, Ng creates sonic textures that begin with his music, and often are original compositions. To this he adds layers of electronic textures, field recordings, and a great spirit of improvisation. His work is open for experimentation, and also for imperfection. This gives it a great deal of body, where the open nature of the artistic experiment meets with his own technical brilliance to make sounds that are impossible to describe, and wonderfully exciting to hear.

Filed by Dylan at 9:04 am under Travel
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The human mind wants to see personalities in inanimate objects — to see the shapes in clouds other than clouds, to see the outline or silhouette of a mountain or rock and compare it to a more familiar creature. Sometimes entire mountains are carved into these shapes, such as Mt. Rushmore. We take blocks of stone or marble and turn them into people, creating amazing art work out of lifeless stone. It’s the same the world over, and for some reason, it comforts us to see these mountains and hills and boulders turned into the familiar. If you’re traveling to Melbourne, Australia, and checking into one of its top Melbourne hotels, you may have already become acquainted with a dozen of these objects out on the Great Ocean Road, just a day trip away. I’m talking about, of course, the Twelve Apostles.

The Twelve Apostles are a series of rock formations jutting out of the ocean, seemingly hunched and praying, as one might imagine apostles to do. In order to see them for yourself, find your way to the Great Ocean Road, which is a bit of a misnomer, as it only seems to occasionally hit upon the coast for a moment at Glenaire, but turns inward again up Lavers Hill, then back down again to Princetown. It’s filled with rolling hills and valleys, which contrasts greatly with the coast, once you do hit it. You’ll come across the Gibson Steps lookout first; the second stop will be the Apostles. There’s a large parking area on the right and a pathway underneath the Great Ocean Road (similar to the car park in England on the way to Stonehenge).

Depending on when you arrive, you may have to deal with coaches filled with tourists, but you might have the area all to yourself as well. Nearby, there’s an airstrip with cattle all around it, running each time a plane or helicopter arrived or departed. Out to sea, though, you will find the rocks we’ve anthropomorphised. The stacks of rocks that jut out of the water are made of red sandstone, up and down the coast. The cliffs are red, the vegetation climbing them are green, and the water, of course, is deep, deep blue. Perhaps the best time to see them is at sunrise or sunset, especially if the sea is a bit wild, churning round them. I don’t know if it’s because of their name or their shape or both, but you can’t help but think of these as human souls praying out beyond the shore.

Filed by Dylan at 11:24 am under Travel
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Naropa University is located in Boulder Colorado. It is a private liberal arts university and was the first in the nation to become a Buddhist inspired accredited institution. The school was founded in 1974 by Chogyam Trunga, a Tibetan Buddhist teacher. These are some of the basic factors Alice presented to her parents when she told them she wanted to complete her graduate studies at this university. Her parents were already aware of this school since they lived in Denver, which wasn’t very far. This idea alone provided them with an almost instant support of their daughter’s interest. However, as with all responsible parents and students, they decided to make a quick trip to the campus before Alice applied.

The family decided to make a complete weekend out of the experience and book a couple of rooms in one of the Boulder hotels. And while they had been to Boulder on several occasions in the past it was always for one particular reason or another and they never really spent time touring or experiencing the city. Their first stop would be the Naropa campus, which Alice immediately fell in love with. Her parents agreed that it was beautiful and had a great atmosphere for an academic institution. The campus alone, however, was not enough of a reason to base one’s graduate studies decision on.

So, they family investigated the programs and were completely interested in the Theatre program. It was an MFA in Contemporary Performance and integrated the physical aspects of performance with various theoretical viewpoints. They were particularly interested in how the traditional contemplative practices were incorporated into the study. Alice, however, was completely interested in the Somatic Counseling Psychology. She wanted to focus on body psychotherapy. Her parents were supportive of this and thought it probably offered a bit more job stability options. They spoke with some of the staff and instructors and Alice left Boulder more sure than ever that she wanted to attend Naropa. She immediately prepared her application and her parents were relieved she would be so near.

Filed by Dylan at 10:23 am under Education, Travel
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Every year thousands of people flock to Melbourne Australia for the Australian Open. The host this tournament in the Melbourne Park every January. It is the first of four tournaments concidered the Grandest Tournaments tennis. All serious players strive to play in this amazing setting. The start of the Tennis Open was in 1905, originally on grass courts until 1987 when the tournament was held on hard courts. There is one player who has ever one on both the grass court and the hard court, Mats Wilander. In 2008, the courts were reserfaced again with a cushioned, medium-paced, acrylic known as Plexicushion Prestige. Seems to be a nice way to save the joint and structual health of the players. There are many games played with in the tournament. Players of all ages and genders compete here. There are junior and master tournaments.

After visitors check into an Australia spa resort, they can find their way down to the park and witness history in the making. Usually, these games have a very high attendance even during these famous hot days. The 2009 Australian Open gained the highest attendence record of any Grand Slam tournament with a whapping 66,018 people filling the stands. The even generates about 38 million to the countries economy.

There is some money to be won in these tournaments. It goes by round and finalists. In the men’s and women’s singles tournaments both paid the same and was divided up in gaining amounts. 1st round got $19,400, 2nd round received $31,000, 3rd round received $51,000 and 4th round won $88,000. Then you had the finalists. Quarterfinalists won $182,250, Semifinalists got $365,000, Runners up took home $1,000,000 and the winners made off with $2,000,000. Not a bad day on the court. In 2009 the singles winners were Rafael Nadal and Serena Williams.

Filed by Dylan at 2:14 pm under Travel
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With a little bit of paint, some shades from Next Day Blinds, and a bit of creativity, you can turn your small apartment space into a design wonder. When you are decorating on a budget,the key is to be extremely organized. It is just a fact that when you do not have a lot of money, you will have fewer choices but when you select the rooms or the themes which are most important and interesting to you, you will be amazed at just what you can do, while staying within your budget.

Take a look around and decide just what decor, just which pieces of furniture that you can not live without, then get rid of the rest. When you choose to replace old and worn drapery and replace it with wonderful modern designs found at Next Day Blinds Bowie, problems about not getting enough light or dreary colors will go out the window. Decorating becomes a wonderful and fun process, filled with simplicity and elegance. Along with the new blinds, you may want to change the color of your paint, or to hang wall paper to either match or compliment the blinds and shades that you have chosen.

You may also decide to repaint old wooden cabinets, adding more color and texture to any small space. And while saving money for the next installment of home improvement, instead of replacing floors and tile, you can throw down a rug. Or, you may decide to just paint your floor. Finding places to store your items can be a bit of a nuisance when you do not have enough space, so find some benches or cabinets at your local second hand store to keep your items in and clear up your clutter.

You may find that painting these pieces of furniture with stencils and designs, will turn them into pieces of art and not just storage space. One way to liven up your inside, is to bring in the outside. Small herb gardens in the kitchen and house plants will do wonders for the inside atmosphere. All of these activities are inexpensive ways to create a warm place to come home to, even if it is a small, warm place.

Filed by Dylan at 11:45 am under Home & Garden
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It’s a magnificent place, and it’s one of the most unique urban centers in the world. Singapore is a world unto itself, and creates itself in relation to its neighboring countries, still maintaining a unique identity, but with an entirely cosmopolitan sensibility. Singapore always seems to be at the cutting edges of fashion, design, and in the realm of finance. This is one of the reasons, perhaps, that people see it as a particularly good place for their private bank. Singapore has a style and a sensibility to get things done with a splendid grace, and the interest in the rest of the world is entirely genuine.

In recent years it has really started to come to its own in terms of a cultural identity, and part of its appeal is that it’s fabric is the product of many different cultures and traditions. The urban lifestyle here is particularly suited for a blend of cultures, and it’s constantly developing, and constantly looking forward. At the same time, there is also a splendid sense of history, where looking forward also means knowing the past. This sense of motion in time is particularly evident in the musical styles here. Local music sensation Bevlyn Khoo, an instructor at the school of pop, is a perfect embodiment of the Singapore music aesthetic, and her stylings have been likened to a cup of fusion tea.

You can find a number of bubbly influences in her music, from Mandarin pop to rock in English, and one of her earliest influences was Michael Jackson. She sings in Mandarin, Japanese, English, and French, demonstrating her own versatility, as well as her music’s ability to find its way to multiple audiences. Bevlyn Khoo began songwriting in 2000, and since then has performed in cafes all over Singapore, as well as recording cds and winning lots of competitions. She has also tried her hand at acting, and will no doubt be seen again on the screen in the future.

Filed by Dylan at 8:39 am under Travel
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Walter was preparing for his business transference to Salt Lake City, Utah and reluctantly put his house up for sale. It wasn’t that he was disappointed with his need to change cities, it was just that he particularly loved that house he was living in and had only had it four three years. However, he enjoyed new experiences and the transfer was only going to be for two years with the possibility for more. Walter had considered renting his property but somehow instinctively he felt he would never return to that house once he left. He didn’t know how long he would remain in Salt Lake, but he knew he would be headed somewhere new once he left there.

This was like Walter as he had a history of moving from city to city. He wasn’t what many people would consider to be a wanderer, he was a writer, primarily a freelance magazine writer and he could work from anywhere and was always stably employed. However, recently he had begun working for a major technology company, which was his educational background, and quickly rose through the ranks. This was the same business that was responsible for his impending move to Salt Lake. Walter decided to take a quick weekend trip to the city to look around a get a feel for which area he would like to live. He booked a flight and made reservations in one of the hotels Salt Lake and as his plane ascended through the mountains in its final approach to the city, a strange new feeling overcame him.

Walter felt oddly at ease, possibly due to the serenity of the landscape, he wasn’t sure why, but it was there. The feeling embraced him during his entire visit and gave him a great feeling about his impending move. During his stay one of the places he visited was the city’s public library system. He was greatly impressed with and had heard it was one of the best public libraries in the country. He felt this would be a pleasant place to work on the historical novel he had been putting off. Walter loved the Gateway District and spent an afternoon at the Clark Planetarium. He drove through the neighborhoods of Federal Heights and the Avenues looking at houses and he knew where he was going to live. For the first time in his life Walter felt he was home.

Filed by Dylan at 9:44 am under Travel
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With the interesting contradiction of having spectacular beaches deep in the desert, Dubai has some interesting mysteries to offer travelers. There is something for all ages here, and a timeless sensibility for awakening the part of the soul that enjoys hospitality. Hospitality is one of the greatest industries here, and this is demonstrable in every luxury hotel Dubai has to offer. There are sumptuous lodgings available to suit every taste, as long as the taste tends toward the magnificent. Life can be very sweet when there are no responsibilities, and vacations are always a good time to forget all your obligations and enjoy the here and now.

For interesting and contradictory reasons, enjoying the here and now is sometimes easier when there is world class shopping nearby, and Dubai has some of the most fascinating shopping centers in the world. Fashion, housewares, and electronics are all on display here, but there are usually a host of other attractions here that will also make the kids smile. There are a number of apparent contradictions here, combining the familiar and the strange, and a tendency toward making things larger than life that speaks to a local sensibility. And for apparent contradictions that fall apart to make sense under close scrutiny, there is A-Class, one of Dubai’s new hip hop acts.

They’re made up of all the members they need at the moment, Sean Shorty and Akey. They both grew up in Dubai and live here, and they’re born listening to the rhythms and beats of James Brown, Michael Jackson, and Tina Turner. As they matured in the city, they saw a hunger and a need for music of their own, that spoke to both the international hip hop culture they grew up in, as well as a local Arab cultural sensibility, and their music is the answer. The mix of American – US – style hip hop and Arab rhythms is called Aratone. English is their second language, giving the intensity of the music another level of complication that, in the face of hip hop culture who’s soul is based in mixing, is absolutely welcome, and exciting.

Filed by Dylan at 9:41 am under Travel
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Deep in the Tramuntana mountain range of Northwest Majorca, there is this very romantic village called Valldemossa. Chopin called it the most beautiful place on earth. Since I heard so much about this wonderful place, I was eager to visit it and find out if Chopin knew what he was talking about.

I was staying at one of the 5 star hotels Balearics with my aunt. We left early in the morning and didn’t have far to travel since our hotel was also nestled in the Tramuntana’s. We travelled deeper into the more lush green mountains on the west side. There were forests of pine, terraces of olive trees and lingering clouds only hundred meters above the sea. As we approached the Sierras of Tramuntana, we saw these dark clouds that seemed to be stuck between two cliffs. The actually look unwilling to move. We look at one another hoping we weren’t headed that way, because the rest of the sky was a beautiful cerulean.

We drove higher and higher along this serpentine road. All the curving and turning we did made us dizzy, there were not straight aways. I was fighting car sickness. Our ears kept popping as we climbed higher. Finally, Valldemossa came into view. 1300 meters above sea level. By this time we were so excited and hoping that all the hype was true.

But, just as we thought, those dark clouds were exactly where we were heading. Right in the valley. Right where Valldemossa is located. The sunlight disappeared, but that didn’t dampen the colorful town. Little stone homes with colored doors and shutters. Windows clustered around one church tower that was the highest peak of the town. Leafy trees surrounded the town as if to protect it from any harm and it almost seemed as if the town was floating. It was better than any fairy-book picture, beyond words. Better that how Chopin describe it.

The road we were on circled the town until the entry to Valldemossa was obvious. I parked as soon as we could find a spot and began our excursion. When we stepped out of our car, we noticed how different the air was, the oxygen was so pure and the aroma was of dampened pine cones. This place was well worth the curvaceous drive and it truly is a fairytale land.

Filed by Dylan at 1:55 pm under Travel
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Kyle had recently agreed to go with his father on a business trip to Tampa, Florida. He hadn’t been able to spend a great deal of time alone with his father since his parents’ divorced and Kyle lived fulltime with his mother. Kyle was going to begin high school next year and while he was close to his mother he regretted that he would not be seeing much of his father. So when his father mentioned that he would be in Tampa for a week and only had to work three of those days Kyle became interested in the trip. He didn’t have to think before saying yes when his father asked him to go along.

When the two of them checked into their room at one of the best Tampa hotels Kyle wasn’t sure what he was going to do while his dad was in meetings. He had never been to the city before, though it sounded interesting and exciting to him before he got there. Now that he was there he felt a little lost. Fortunately his father came to his aid and suggested he spend the afternoon down by the water front and he gave him some money to get a sandwich and maybe a souvenir or something. It was a beautiful afternoon and Kyle had a great time.

The following evening they had tickets for the Florida Orchestra. Kyle played the flute for his school orchestra and his family had always enjoyed going to the symphony. They had dinner before the performance at Bern’s Steak House and just as Kyle was about to dig into his barbeque ribs his father told him he had something to discuss. He then told Kyle that he was going to be transferred to Tampa for his job and asked Kyle to consider moving with him. He had already discussed it with Kyle’s mother who was willing to let him go if he really wanted to. That added a bit of pressure to the rest of the evening but Kyle tried to escape into the music. He didn’t want to make that decision. The next day he told his father he really needed to think about it and the decision changed his experience in the city. He went from the freedom of a vacation to the perspective of a possible new home. One thing about it, Tampa was certainly inviting.

Filed by Dylan at 10:27 am under Travel
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Isn’t it Ray Charles that sung ‘Georgia on my Mind’? Well I know why. Georgia is a beautiful state. Gorgeous green rolling hills dense pine forests, fertile farms and of course the Peach Trees.

As a kid we would go to Georgia every other summer to visit my aunt and cousins there. In alternate years they would come up to New York State to visit.

We would always take two days to get there, driving south from New York to somewhere in the Carolinas stay the night and then make it to my aunt’s house by later that afternoon.

There home was out side Atlanta by about 60 miles. It was an old house built in the middle of the 1800’s and set on a big piece of land densely forested with pine trees. It was a great place to spend our summer vacation. Running and playing in the woods, hanging out with the variety of animals they had and making home made ice cream.

Some years we would be there on the Forth of July and I remember all of us heading over to Stone Mountain for the fireworks display. It was an impressive site seeing the fireworks exploding with the backdrop of the sheer white granite face of Stone Mountain.

Great memories of wonderful times, I know I can’t get them back but I still want to go back and see some of the places I remember going to when I was a child. Also my aunt is getting on in years and I haven’t seen her for about ten years, so it is time to get there for a visit.

My aunt really loves gardens so I’ll take her to the botanical gardens in Atlanta for a day. It will get her out of the house and into some very beautiful surroundings. We may be able to do more depending on how she feels and if so I’d like to go to Atlanta Underground, I remember going there when it first opened probably thirty years ago or more now.

I have my room booked at Georgia luxury hotel and am very excited to be going to Georgia.

Filed by Dylan at 11:25 am under Travel
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